North Carolina GOP Censures Burr Over Impeachment Vote

North Carolina Republican Party leaders voted to censure U.S. Sen. Richard Burr over his impeachment vote. 

The decision by the party's central committee to censure Burr was unanimous. The measure is largely a symbolic expression of disapproval.

Burr earned the scorn of the state's party by voting to convict the former president for his actions leading up to and during a deadly insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on January 6.

In a release, state GOP officials said they stand with a strong majority of Republicans in Congress who felt the effort to impeach a president already out of office was unconstitutional.

Burr responded with his own statement: “It is truly a sad day for North Carolina Republicans. My party's leadership has chosen loyalty to one man over the core principles of the Republican Party and the founders of our great nation.”

Burr, of Winston-Salem, was one of seven GOP senators who voted to convict. He defended his vote in a lengthy statement after the impeachment proceedings, saying Trump bears responsibility for the actions of the mob.

Other Republicans have also faced censure for their impeachment votes, including Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and Representative Liz Cheney of Wyoming. 

The final vote tally in Trump's second impeachment trial was 57-43, short of the two-thirds majority needed to convict.  

Burr, who has been in Congress for 26 years, including the last 16 as a senator, is not running for re-election in 2022. North Carolina's other GOP Senator, Thom Tillis, voted to acquit.

State party chairman Michael Whatley believes Trump played a strong role in in helping down-ballot North Carolina candidates in 2020. He wants to see Trump's North Carolina supporters convert into reliable Republican voters.

“The president will have the ability to help excite the base and turn voters out," Whatley said.